r.H,  un3 
rant 


Duke  University  Libraries 

(Letter  of  seer 
Conf  Pam  #466 


MESSAGE    OF    THE    PRESIDENT. 

Richmond,  Ya.,  Dec.  12,  18G4, 

To  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

In  response  to  your  resolution  of  the  lOtb  ult.,  I  herewith  trans- 
mit a  communication  from  the  h'ecretary  of  War,  which  conveys 
the  infoimation  requested,  so  far  as  the  records  of  his  Department 
enable  him  to  furnish  it,  and  states  the  reasons  which  make  it  im- 
practicable for  him  to  reply  more  definitely  as  to  the  amount  of 
money  expended  in  payment  of  the  Army  of  the  Trans-Mississippi 
since  the  assignment  of  Gen.  E.  K.  Smith  to  the  command  of  the 
Department. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


LETTER  OF  SECRETARY  OF  WAR, 

War  Department,  C.  S.  A.,  } 

Richmond,  Dec.  8,  1864.      \ 

To  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  : 

Sir  :  I  have  received  the  following;  resolution  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  referred  by  your  Excellency  to  this  Department  : 
"  Besnlved,  That  the  President  be  requested  to  inform  this  House 
Avhat  amount  of  money  ha?,  been  expended  in  the  payment  of  the 
army  of  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department,  since  the  assignment  of 
Gen.  PI  K.  Smith  to  the  command  of  that  Department." 

The  Quartermaster  General,  to  whom  the  resolution  was  sent 
for  report,  has  written  in  reply  two  letters,  herewith  submitted,  in 
which  all  the  information  on  the  subject  in  his  possession  is  fur- 
nished, and  the  reasons  stated  why  he  is  unable  to  make  a  more 
satisfactory  report. 

Ver^  rcspectfuliy,  your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A  SEDDON, 
Secretary  of  War. 


LETTER  OF  QEARTERMASTER  GENERAL. 

War  Department.  ) 

Quartermaster  General's  Office,  \ 

Richmond,  Nov.  2Gth,  1864.      ) 

Sin  :  I  have  the  honor  to  iickrowledi^e  the  receipt  of  the  reso- 
lution of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  l9th  instant,  for- 
warded to  Toii  by  the  President,  upon  whicli  ,\ou  endorse  "  for 
prompt  attention  and  report,"  whi^h  resolution  is  as  follows  : 

"  Resolved.  That  the  President  bi  requested  to  inform  this  House 
what  auiourit  of  troney  ^^as  been  expe'.ded  in  the  payment  of  the 
army  of  the  Tra's-Mlssist'ijjpi  Hepartment  since  the  ass'grnment  of 
Gen.  E.  K.  Smith  to  the  comunnd  of  that  department." 

And  in  reply  I  haA-e  to  slate,  that  I  am  unnble  to  furnish  any  in- 
formation on  the  subject,  as  no  accounts  for  the  piyraen's  made  to 
the  troops,  or  for  disliursem*  n<s  nn  accfumt  of  supplies  fun  ished 
by  the  Qiuinermasters  Department  have  bren  recMved  a*-,  ihis 
office  S'nce  the  assignnipnt  of  Gen.  E.  Iv.  Smith  to  the  comn  and  of 
the  Trnn-'Mi^^is^ippi  department;  it  ha-?  iii?  been  ^^nerally  under- 
stood here  th^t  the  nece^-sary  aut.)  ority  for  obtaining:  the  pnper 
supply  of  funds  and  areountab-lity  for  the  same  had  been  commit- 
ted to  the  supervision  of  Gen.  Smith. 

in  cor.seqiience  of  the  diiliculry  a?ii  dan.ii:('r(>f  crossintj  (he Miis- 
issippi,  no  resrular  aci'ount-'  have  been  ^^uSijected  to  t!ie  risks  atten- 
ding it,  but  have  been  retailed  ovei-  there  for  future  transmisBion 
to  this  BurcTu. 

The  amount.^  rciiuesied  by  this  IJ-.ircau  to  Ite  sent  to  that  Deftart- 
nicnt,  can  be  furnished  if  desired. 

I  ha^o  the  honor  lo  be,  hii-, 

\'ery  rosrjrctrnlly,  v<tur  obediont  servajit, 

A.  R.  LAWTON, 
<.^unrtcrmao<tcr  General. 
Hon  .JAMKS  A   Si;i)i>ii\.  SccreUiiy  of  Wai-,  liichmoml,  Va. 


LETTER  OF  QUARTERMASTER  GENERAL. 


War  Depautmext. 


Quirrtermaster  Generates  Office, 


) 


Richmond,  Dec.  2nd,  1861.      ) 

Sir  :  As  )cquestcd  1>y  your  oiidorscmeii^,  I  send  a  statement  of 
the  funds  retiucsted  to  ])e  sent  to  tlie  Trans  Mississippi  Department, 
to  accompany  my  report  in  answer  to  the  reaolwtion  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  askinj^  "  what  amount  of  money  has  been  ex- 
pended in  the  payn)CBt  o!'  the  urniy  of  the  Trana-Miasissippi  De- 
partment hiiacc  the  a8si,u;nmont  of  Gen.  E.  K  Smith  to  tijc  commaad 
of  that  deparlmeut." 

Gen.  Smith  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Traos-MissiBsippi,  Jan. 
14,  186rJ,  From  t.ho  3d  Juno  to  the  l"2th  August,  1863,  requisitioES 
vrere  made  to  Lhe  amount  of  $36,099,809,  as  per  statement  hcrewitt. 
Of  this  sum,  $12,922,287  wys  pent  to  ihat  department  in  drafts 
drawl  on  the  !  reasury  in  th'^  citv  of  Richmond.  1  ho  drafts  have 
lately  (by  an  arrangement  effected  here)  been  directed  to  be  return- 
ed for  cancellation.  $15,117,522  was  in  drafts  payable  at  Shreve- 
port,  La.;  and  $8,060  000  on  ihe  Depositary  at  San  Autonia,  Texas. 
Whether  all  or  any  part  of  the  two  last  named  amounts  have  been 
made  available  to  i\  e  disbursing  officers,  I  am  unable  to  say. 

Ascertaining  that  the  funds  before  referred  to  had  not  been 
available,  and  anxious  to  meet  the  urgent  demand?  of  this  branch 
of  the  public  service,  1  submitted  (on  the  2oth  October,  1863)  a  re- 
quest tf-at  the  sum  of  $26,018,567  be  sent  to  the  credit  of  the  ofl5- 
cers  of  the  department,  to  pay  the  army  and  meet  expenditures  to 
the  25th  December.  1863. 

On  the  25ih  April,  I  again  called  attention  to  my  former  c^mrau- 
ni  ation,  and  requesr.ed  that  the  additional  sum  of  $15,000,000  be 
add*  d  to  the  sum  theret  ifore  requested  for  service  of  the  Trans- 
Mi-si.-sippi  Department 

What  ponion  of  ihe  last  two  sums  were  sent,  if  any,  I  am  una- 
ble to  say.     I  have  not  been  informed  that  any  had  been  furnished. 

From  this  statement  it  will  appear  that  the  total  sum  requested 
by  this  department  to  be  furnished  the  Trans-Mississippi  Depart- 
ment, fo--  the  pay  of  tlie  troops  and  for  tho  service  of  the  Quarter- 
master's Department,  amounts  to  $77,118,376. 

It  is  proper  to  add,  that  I  have  been  informed  that  arrangements 
have  been  perfected,  by  which  funds  needed  in  that  department, 
vill  be  supplied  on  that  side  of  the  Mississippi,  without  reference 
to  this  office. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  R.  LAWTON, 
Quartermaster  General. 
Hon.  J.  A.  Seddok,  Secretary  of  War. 


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